[Joe Bloggs]

Perhaps the file size would be different every time you run LAME? Try changing the filename to encode several times using RazorLAME and compare sizes. There may be some random processes going on...

 

[James]

Quote:

Originally posted by JaZZ You know, there are a lot of switches (I normally never would use) -- are you sure that none of the possible combinations will create the same (optimal) setting as with any preset? Can you elaborate what special features the LAME presets provide that RazorLame lacks?

Yes, Joe is right: from the LAME changelog on Dec 21 2001 (version 3.90)

"--alt-presets are no longer just 'presets' as in a collection of switches, instead they are now quality 'modes' because of special code level tunings (those mentioned above)."

You will find ample first-hand evidence that the alt-presets cannot be duplicated by any set of "classical" command-line switches on Hydrogen Audio.

Thrasher: Not sure what's wrong with your little experiment. I just tried it again on a couple WAVs and got identical files. Are you sure you turned everything off, including checksum and comments? Maybe you used different versions of LAME?

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally posted by Thrasher Go to Lame Options, the Expert tab, write down --alt-preset standard in the Customs options and check Only use custom options. That way you will get a Lame mp3 file encoded with the "famous" --alt-preset standard.

That's it, thanks!
Quote:

Originally posted by James Yes, Joe is right: from the LAME changelog on Dec 21 2001 (version 3.90) "--alt-presets are no longer just 'presets' as in a collection of switches, instead they are now quality 'modes' because of special code level tunings (those mentioned above)."

Now that leaves barely any room for doubts.

The thing is... even with a DAC2 connected to my soundcard and HD 600/650 I can't distinguish 320 kbps MP3s from the original Wave file, and even 256 kb/s sound the same with most recordings. So the only thing I can expect is most likely a smaller file size with LAME presets (below «alt-preset insane»), right?

My ears seem to be less critical with headphones than with speakers, so I still think I would be able to distinguish MP3 from the uncompressed original with my speaker setup, but MP3 is a portable-only format to me.

Thanks to all for the help and the information!

 

[James]

Quote:

Originally posted by JaZZ My ears seem to be less critical with headphones than with speakers, so I still think I would be able to distinguish MP3 from the uncompressed original with my speaker setup, but MP3 is a portable-only format to me.

Excellent point! I've been struggling with the same conclusion for a while now. Theoretically, my headphone system is far more revealing than my speaker system, but while the differences between 192, 256, 320kbps and WAV are clear when played through my Dynaudios, I fail ABX tests with my headphones on almost all my discs. Strange, strange.

Well, I can't justify paying hundreds of dollars for a HD MP3 player unless I can also use it with my home system. In this case, ape (256 kbps) was a compromise, even if I can't tell the difference between it and aps through my headphones.


Edit: actually Jazz, if I'm not mistaken, --alt-preset insane ends up being smaller than 320 CBR because it is a VBR scheme. But it still sounds just as good.

 

[JaZZ]

I thought I got it now -- if only it would work...

I tried alt-preset standard, extreme and insane, with a consistent result (an error message such as the one below).

Quote:

«Command: C:\PROGRAMME\RAZORLAME\Lame.exe alt-preset extreme "C:\Temp.Wave\Auf der Maur - Real a Lie.wav" "C:\Temp.Wave\Auf der Maur - Real a Lie.mp3" C:\PROGRAMME\RAZORLAME\Lame.exe: excess arg C:\Temp.Wave\Auf der Maur - Real a Lie.wav LAME version 3.92 MMX (http://www.mp3dev.org/) usage: C:\PROGRAMME\RAZORLAME\Lame.exe [options] <infile> [outfile] <infile> and/or <outfile> can be "-", which means stdin/stdout. Try: "C:\PROGRAMME\RAZORLAME\Lame.exe --help" for general usage information or: "C:\PROGRAMME\RAZORLAME\Lame.exe --preset help" for information on suggested predefined settings "C:\PROGRAMME\RAZORLAME\Lame.exe --alt-preset help" for information on the seperate and very highly tuned for quality predefined settings or: "C:\PROGRAMME\RAZORLAME\Lame.exe --longhelp" or "C:\PROGRAMME\RAZORLAME\Lame.exe -?" for a complete options list RazorLame encountered an unknown message from LAME while trying to encode "C:\Temp.Wave\Auf der Maur - Real a Lie.wav"! Encoded 0 files in 0:00:00 There was an unexpected LAME message for one file, please check log for error messages.»

Even the message doesn't make sense to me.

Another example: I have a lameGUI.html file in the LAME folder, which appears as «LAME frontend» with similar setting possibilities as RazorLame. But when I click «Start LAME» nothing happens. What am I making wrong? BTW, after doubleclicking on lame.exe a DOS window appears for the tenth of a second, and that's it.

 

[James]

You left out the double-dash prefix. We weren't kidding when we wrote "--alt-preset extreme" and such.

 

[JaZZ]

Hey, it's so easy!

Thanks, James!

 

[JaZZ]

I tried --alt-preset insane, extreme and standard, and everything was working fine. But now --alt-preset medium doesn't work. Why?
Quote:

Command: C:\PROGRAMME\RAZORLAME\Lame.exe --alt-preset medium "C:\Temp.Wave\Auf der Maur - Real a Lie.wav" "C:\Temp.Wave\Auf der Maur - Real a Lie.mp3" LAME version 3.92 MMX (http://www.mp3dev.org/) Error: You did not enter a valid profile and/or options with --alt-preset Available profiles are: <fast> standard <fast> extreme insane <cbr> (ABR Mode) - The ABR Mode is implied. To use it, simply specify a bitrate. For example: "--alt-preset 185" activates this preset and uses 185 as an average kbps. Some examples: or "C:\PROGRAMME\RAZORLAME\Lame.exe --alt-preset fast standard <input file> <output file>" or "C:\PROGRAMME\RAZORLAME\Lame.exe --alt-preset cbr 192 <input file> <output file>" or "C:\PROGRAMME\RAZORLAME\Lame.exe --alt-preset 172 <input file> <output file>" or "C:\PROGRAMME\RAZORLAME\Lame.exe --alt-preset extreme <input file> <output file>" For further information try: "C:\PROGRAMME\RAZORLAME\Lame.exe --alt-preset help" RazorLame encountered an unknown message from LAME while trying to encode "C:\Temp.Wave\Auf der Maur - Real a Lie.wav"! Encoded 0 files in 0:00:00 There was an unexpected LAME message for one file, please check log for error messages.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

looks like your version of LAME doesn't have the medium preset. I guess 3.93 should have it?

 

[JaZZ]

Thanks, Joe!

What about 3.90.3 (which is said to sound best)? Does it support --alt preset medium? I just want to know and try the whole bandwidth, because I also need smaller file-sizes for my flash player. Are there any more steps below --alt preset medium and are they preferable to ABR settings for sonic reasons? I tried --alt-preset 160: is this also superior to any RazorLame setting with identical average bitrate (you can predefine an ABR there as well)? Or compared to any manual setting with the same average -- is there still a principal superiority of LAME presets down to any arbitrary bitrate? I notice that the extremes with LAME ABR settings are less pronounced than what I'm used to from my own manual RazorLame settings -- e.g. min. 96, max. 320, Q=4, which may result in the same average.

[EDIT] Meanwhile I've downloaded version 3.95.1 -- didn't want to bother with 3.93(.1)...

And yes, now --alt-preset medium works fine -- and seems to be the lowest fixed preset.

 

[Stephonovich]

Yes, actually, 3.90.3 now has support for --alt-preset medium. I didn't even know this until I did a Google... see RareWares page. There's a couple compiles there with support.

(-:Stephonovich

 

[JaZZ]

Thanks, Stephonovitch!

Do you think --alt-preset medium is superior to --alt-preset ABR with comparable file sizes or corresponding RazorLame VBR/ABR settings, resp.? I'd like to know how far LAME's «preset superiority» (over RazorLame or own non-preset settings or whatsoever) extends. It's difficult to get the idea.

 

[woodytone]

does anyone know of a program that will encode or decode (im not sure which one) a wav file to mp3 using lame which has the command line option. i do like eac. and i use eac to convert to wav. but i want to first create the wav files then use lame to encode them so i don't have to do it cd by cd since lame can take a long time. That way i can rip a bunch of cds to wave really fast then take all the wave files and encode them with lame and let my computer do the rest of the work. which is a good job for my computer to do over night or while im away from my computer. im sure 10 full cds in wav format will take a few hours to encode. That way i won't have to keep on going back to my computer every half hour to switch cds. hopefully all that made sense.

 

[woodytone]

oh yeah one more thing. i have an ipod. i created mp3s using the presets standard, extreme, and insane (all the same song) and they all sound the same to me. i use ety's er-4ps (no amp). is it my ears or is it just the mp3 player?

 

[JaZZ]

Try RazorLame -- that's what i use for the same purpose.